The 2024 jury will be chaired by architect Rafael de La-Hoz Castanys, director of architecture firm, Rafael De La-Hoz. Joining him will be a panel of respected professionals in architecture and design field, including the founders of architectural firms Aranguren & Gallegos Arquitectos and ARQUITECTURA-G, David Quesada, Chief Editor of Arquitectura y Diseño, and Susana Babiloni, President of the Territorial College of Architects of Castellón. 

About the Jury

Rafael de La-Hoz Castanys

After earning his degree in architecture from the School of Architecture of Madrid in 1981 and completing an MBA at the Polytechnic University of Madrid in 1986, Rafael de La-Hoz Castanys began his career at the firm founded by his grandfather. Established in 1920, Rafael De La-Hoz is a multidisciplinary international architecture practice, recognized as one of the most prestigious and longest-standing architecture firms in the world.  

Some of de La-Hoz Castanys’ most notable works include large-scale projects like the Telefónica District C in 2008 and the Rey Juan Carlos Hospital in 2012. Other notable projects include the Pedroches Pavilion in 2021 and the Rafael del Pino Foundation in 2005. Additionally, de La-Hoz Castanys is involved in several renowned heritage conservations efforts, including the Daoiz and Velarde Cultural Center in Madrid (2020), the Antonio Gala Foundation at the Corpus Christi Convent in Córdoba (2002) and the Villa Gonzalo Palace in Madrid (2021).  

In addition to his role at the firm, de La-Hoz Castanys has served as a professor at the International School of Architecture in Barcelona and the Pontifical University of Salamanca, as well as a visiting professor at the Polytechnic University of Zurich. His work has been published in numerous national and international media outlets and he has also been honored with the Gold Medal from the Superior Council of Architects of Spain in 2018 and the Gold Medal of the City of Córdoba in 2020.  

Aranguren+Gallegos

Over four decades ago, María José Aranguren López and José González Gallegos founded the architecture firm Aranguren&Gallegos Arquitectos. Prior to starting the firm, both graduated from the ETS of Architecture in Madrid, with Aranguren López ranking second in her class, just behind Gallegos. They both hold doctoral degrees and are professors of Architectural Projects at their alma mater. Aranguren López and Gallegos have taught courses, master’s programs, lectures, seminars and classes at several universities in Spain, Europe and America.  

Aranguren&Gallegos Arquitectos has been developing architectural projects across diverse fields and typologies for years. The firm has international experience, focusing on large public programs such as auditoriums and museums, the restoration and repurposing of buildings and extensive research in the residential sector. Aranguren López and Gallegos have earned recognition at the national and international levels through exhibitions, publications and awards that highlight their commitment to creating high-quality architecture.

ARQUITECTURA-G

Founded in 2006 by architects Jonathan Arnabat, Jordi Ayala-Bril, Igor Urdampilleta and Aitor Fuentes, ARQUITECTURA-G is a Barcelona-based architecture firm primarily focused on building design. The firm aims to utilize the best tailored solutions to align with clients’ objectives and foster long-lasting, personalized relationships based on trust. In addition to their building design work, ARQUITECTURA-G has given lectures at a number of prestigious institutions and universities such as CCCB, Berlage TU Delft, Matadero Madrid, Cooper Union New York, Université de Liège, ETSAB UPC and Porto Academy. 

ARQUITECTURA-G’s projects have been featured in several national and international media publications and have garnered numerous awards and recognitions. These awards include the ASCER Ceramics Award for Interior Design in 2013, the Mies van der Rohe Award for Emerging Architect in 2015, the Award from the XIII Spanish Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism in 2016, selection for the Spanish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2016, the ‘Premi d’Arquitectura de les Comarques de Girona 2016,’ the FAD Award for Interior Design in 2021, and the FAD Award for Architecture in 2022.

David Quesada

With a degree in Information Sciences from the University of Barcelona (UAB), David Quesada has achieved a distinguished career, spanning over 30 years in radio, professional journalism, editorial services and communication consulting. After working as a freelance contributor for the magazines Casas de Campo and Arquitectura y Diseño, Quesada joined the Arquitectura y Diseño team as a writer and since 2012, he has served as the chief editor.  

Arquitectura y Diseño is a leading magazine in the architecture and design fields, known for its focus on tranquility, reflection and beauty and is published monthly in both print and digital formats. With an experienced team, Arquitectura y Diseño strives to showcase the work of architecture firms, design companies and influential voices in the industry.

Susana Babiloni

After studying architecture at Valencia Polytechnic University, Susana Babiloni received her Master’s Degree in Marketing and Market Research from Jaume I University, as well as a degree in Advertising Graphics from the EASD Castelló. 

Babiloni has been working as an architect at her own studio since 2012, focusing on building works and real estate valuation. In addition to her career as an architect, Babiloni is part of the drafting team of the ARRU document for the elaboration of the PGOU of Castellón and an adviser for urban planning.  She has taken her professional knowledge and love of the industry to teach technical courses at the university level. Currently, Babiloni is President of the Castellón Territorial College of Architects (CTAC). 

To learn more about the 23^rd annual Tile of Spain Awards, visit https://tileofspainawards.com/. 

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Each story of the home – one housing the ground floor and the other the first floor – is strategically positioned perpendicular to each other. This layout ensures distinct separation between the different uses of the spaces while preserving the visual continuity between them. Both levels offer unobstructed ocean views.  

The ground floor serves as the hub for daytime activities of the house, featuring the living room, dining room, kitchen and porches. The upper floor is dedicated to all of the home’s bedrooms. Carefully configured to seamlessly integrate into the orography of its surrounding mountainous terrain, the basement contains the garage, indoor pool, changing rooms, storage rooms, gym, cinema room, yoga room, wine cellar and a large storage space. The second floor of the basement is reserved for the home’s utilities.  

Ceramics are an integral part of the construction and design of this project, shaping the entire home’s design aesthetic. The residence features a remarkable material palette with exposed white concrete on its envelope and large-format porcelain stoneware, both on the inside and outside. Playing a central role in the design, the large-format porcelain stoneware covers all interior and exterior floors, pool areas, jacuzzi, hammam (steam bath) and vertical surfaces. 

The same large-format porcelain stoneware, has been used in specific areas inside the home, to accentuate, integrate, harmonize and give continuity to the installation. This material can be found in the bathroom countertops, kitchen countertops, barbeques and the cantilevered steps of the stairs, elevating the unity and cohesion of the space. 

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The benefits of ceramics extend beyond technical aspects; they are available in a vast range of colors and formats, providing infinite aesthetic possibilities. This diversity and versatility enable us to fully customize our outdoor settings according to our style preferences, creating areas that are not only functional and safe, but also visually captivating.

Embracing Tradition

Blue mosaics continue to be a popular and timeless choice for pool design. Emulating the look of ocean water, these tiles enhance the water’s sparkle, casting a striking visual effect. This style allows for the creation of custom patterns, making it easily adaptable to various architectural styles and design preferences.

Colorful Possibilities

Ceramics in alternating shades of green help pools harmonize with the surrounding environment. The incorporation of this color palette will establish a direct connection to nature, infusing outdoor spaces with a sense of life. With multiple shades available, from soft sages to bold emeralds, this dynamic color scheme empowers homeowners and interior designers to unleash their creativity in the pool. 

Welcoming Neutrals

Incorporating ceramics in neutral tones of crisp whites, subtle browns and lush grays, evokes a sense of serenity in any setting. These colors facilitate an effortless transition between pools and their surroundings, establishing cohesive settings. The simplicity of these shades accommodates both minimalist and classic styles and are a perfect pairing with other decorative elements, ensuring that spaces remain balanced and inviting without becoming overwhelming.

Nature-Inspired Graphics

Ceramics with vivid graphics can transform pools into a uniquely personalized space. We recommend integrating tiles that showcase greenery and jungle motifs to add an organic and artisanal touch. In addition to decorating pools with distinct character, these ceramics also provide a visual connection to the neighboring landscape.

A Trip to the Tropics

Escape to a tropical destination without leaving the backyard with ceramics inspired by the fresh and vibrant colors of exotic locations. By combining hues of indigo blue, emerald green and pearly white, tiles can capture the aura of the tropics. Ceramics in these shades are not only picturesque, they also foster a unique sensory experience that elicits feelings of peace and tranquility.

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Crafted from clay and subjected to firing, ceramics are a highly versatile material that effortlessly integrates into exterior environments, providing exceptional durability and resistance. As an extension of your home, it’s critical to create outdoor settings that encourage us to unwind and decompress. Explore a variety of ceramic-based ideas to inspire your next alfresco project below!

Indoor to Outdoor Living

Regardless of the size of your home, ceramic tiles enable the creation of spaces that connect the indoors with the outdoors. With their exceptional resistance to temperature changes, Spanish tile manufacturers offer unique ceramic options for outside areas in a variety of designs, sizes, colors and textures. These diverse selections pave the way for the creation of peaceful terraces and balconies, providing opportunities for a seamless connection with nature even without a large patio or garden.

Perfect Porches

Ideal for porches, ceramic tiles offer a remarkable balance of durability, versatility, minimal upkeep and sustainability, making them an excellent choice for creating visually captivating and enduring outdoor spaces. By incorporating tiles on patios, you can easily marry interior and exterior settings in a harmonious manner. We recommend using large format ceramic pieces in natural hues such as beiges and browns to amplify the sense of openness.

Outdoor Dining

One of the best ways to fully embrace the summer weather is by utilizing outdoor dining spaces. Ceramic floor and wall tiles are crucial in these settings, providing an intimate, comfortable, hygienic and low-maintenance environment. Ceramic tiles possess inherent attributes, including low porosity, resistance to heat and extreme climates and fireproof properties, ensuring that it will remain pristine and unaffected despite frequent use and altering weather conditions.

Glorious Gardens

Ceramics are more than just the perfect decorative element; they bring impressive functionality and durability that complements gardens beautifully. Selecting the right ceramic pieces is key to achieving a seamless integration with natural surroundings. To maintain continuity and harmony, it’s important that the ceramics you choose integrate with the garden’s overall design, landscape and architecture. With their vast range of shapes, colors and textures, tiles can be adapted to suit to any garden style.

Playful Pools

Optimal for swimming pools, ceramic tiles’ impermeability prevents moisture from seeping below the surface, hindering bacterial growth. Ceramics also feature anti-slip properties to enhance safety in wet areas. With the aesthetic diversity offered by Spanish ceramic manufacturers, there’s an opportunity to depart from traditional pool finishes and opt for pieces with floral motifs or vibrant shades.

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While ceramic tiles provide an array of technical properties, they also offer design flexibility and aesthetic versatility. New collections emerging from Spanish manufacturers feature ceramics in a range of hues, diverse tonality and varying patterns, allowing us to showcase our unique tastes in every possible way.

In partnership with the Habitat Trends Observatory (OTH), we present the four color schemes that are taking over ceramic, architectural and interior design trends in 2024:

Natural Selection

As the desire to connect with nature only grows, Spanish tile makers continue to look to outdoor colors for inspiration. Enhanced by pigments reminiscent of water, fire and earth, this palette infuses the essence of nature into every space. Ceramics in deep blues and emeralds dominate, complemented by terracotta oranges and sandy neutrals. 

Serene Shades

Promoting peace and clarity within our homes, this arrangement focuses on soft, soothing hues. This spectrum welcomes airy pink shades to curate the ideal ambiance for relaxation and unwinding. Pairing these tones with metallic accents such as copper, brass or champagne will achieve a sophisticated aesthetic.

Enchanting Hues

Natural greens, versatile blues and delicate pastels take center stage in this colorway, representing an effortless blend of styles from mid-century to grand millennial. The diversity found among Enchaining Hues embodies nature’s essence, with subtle hints of pastels that add a gentle touch and elevate geometric patterns.

Ethereal Elegance

Drawing inspiration from the opulent tones of moonlight, this chromatic mix highlights ceramic tiles with metallic surfaces and alluring dyes. Through expressive swirling veins in vibrant blues and deep jade greens, tiles are able to emulate the elegant movements of water. By utilizing dark tints, this palette imbues interiors with the feeling of refined elegance.

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Nestled in Granada, Spain, lies No. 2 Edificio Isabel la Católica, a quaint apartment project originally designed by the late architect José María García de Paredes. Paying homage to García de Paredes’ legacy, Agustín Gor Gómez’s (GRX Arquitectos) recent renovation of the project drew inspiration from García de Paredes’ concepts and sketches, managing to carefully conserve key characteristics of his style. The main objective of GRX Arquitectos’ restoration was to transform the mid-20^th-century 2,500 sqft mansion into two separate homes, tailored to modern family life. 

GRX Arquitectos’ exceptional project was awarded first place in the ‘Interior Design’ category of the 22nd annual Tile of Spain Awards. The judging panel applauded the architect’s innovative use of classic 10×10 cm tile, which was creatively installed throughout the home, taking full advantage of the tile’s flexibility and adaptability. They commended the architect’s remarkable ability to create movement with a single tile style, effectively applying it to diverse surfaces, including curved walls. The architect was also praised for his skillful selection of color, further enhancing the project’s visual allure.  

To honor García de Paredes’ initial vision of crafting a uniform modular floor plan that could adapt to various requirements, GRX Arquitectos conceived the idea of installing a series of vertical panels capable of resizing to accommodate any household need. This standardized grid system can continuously be updated to meet the ever-evolving demands of contemporary homeowners. When in use, the grid can create different features within the home, such as a serving hatch, fireplace, cupboard, mirror or bench while also separating rooms.  

The building’s renovation has established two separate residences, with the luminous, warm, southern-facing apartment occupying the original communal and service areas. GRX Arquitectos optimized the existing layout efficiently, creating a seamless flow for all activities within the home.  

The northern-facing apartment, which previously held private bedrooms and the main corridor, was transformed into the second apartment. On this side, adjustments were implemented to correct any irregularities in the floor plan.  

This project required a small-format ceramic tile that offered both conceptual and practical functions. GRX Arquitectos opted for 10×10 cm tiles in white and grey with a matte finish to achieve the desired appearance and performance. These tiles were essential for infusing dynamic movement throughout the residence while also meeting technical requirements such as waterproofing, durability and comfort. 

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Celebrating its 40^th anniversary, Cevisama will take place from February 26th to March 1st at Feria Valencia. This historic edition will feature over 86,000 square feet of exhibition space where over 500 exhibitors and 74,000 visitors from around the world will converge to celebrate design, innovation, sustainability and new ceramic materials.

As Spanish ceramic manufacturers prepare to present their latest products, technologies, and trends, Tile of Spain shares a preview of collections on display at Cevisama 2024:

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Continue reading to explore a range of ceramic combinations that will ignite inspiration and fuel creativity:

Harmonizing With Different Hues

Colors selection plays a crucial role in identifying the decorative style of a space. Experimenting with multiple ceramic pieces in varying colors gives you the opportunity to define your environment and establish a unique identity in each room. Whether you’re leaning toward natural, neutral tones or embracing bold, striking pigments, a mixture of colorways will infuse every corner of your home with originality and creativity.

Finishes You Can Feel

Textured reliefs are one of the most enticing choices among the vast number of finishes available on the market. Raw and rugged finishes create comfortable, welcoming spaces, providing a tangible effect throughout their surface. To further elevate timeless environments, opt for ceramic pieces in soft tones.

Playful Prints

Utilizing ceramic pieces that feature different motifs such as floral, geometric or vintage prints is a perfect way to break the uniformity of smooth, homogeneous surfaces. The addition of an interesting pattern will not only create alluring, unexpected effects, it will allow you to craft one-of-a-kind spaces within your home.

Glistening Radiance

Each year, ceramic tiles that feature a marbling effect continue to gain popularity, injecting interiors with both light and volume. Integrating ceramic pieces with metallic finishes. will transform muted rooms into sophisticated, opulent and chic spaces.

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Receiving first prize in the ‘Architecture’ category in the 2023 edition of the Tile of Spain Awards, Ripoll-Tizon’s breathtaking project was honored with a unanimous decision by the jury due their coherent blend of chosen materials and architectural formulae. The judges noted, “well-balanced attention was paid to materiality, structural aspects, and architectural solutions, clearly approached in a simultaneous way right from the beginning.”

The design team was presented with a challenge to craft a home capable of accommodating two families and extended guest stays comfortably. The near square floor plan strategically places identical private areas for hosts and guests on adjoining sides, separated by communal spaces along a diagonal axis leading to the living room, maximizing the breathtaking views.

Three carefully planned terraces act as seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces. One terrace, featuring a delicate structure for climbing plants, becomes a shaded sanctuary integrated into the building envelope, harmonizing with the natural surroundings.

The structural composition, comprised of load-bearing walls and one-way floor slabs, masterfully divides the home into clearly defined living areas. This synchronicity ensures that the load-bearing structure seamlessly integrates with the interior design of each room.

Porcelain and glazed tiles take center stage, both indoors and outdoors. Porcelain, chosen for its high resistance, hardness, durability, low porosity, and water absorption, establishes a foundation of strength. Internally, porcelain collaborates with natural stone in areas requiring robust materials.

Inside, glazed tiles transcend traditional roles, adorning wet areas and transforming into integral components of built-in furniture. Bedside tables, outlets, and air-conditioning vents become features of artistic expression, with each adored by its own set of ceramic coverings.

Outdoors, the fusion of functionality and aesthetics continues as electrical switches, light fittings, and vents seamlessly integrate into ceramic and latticework tiles, crafting an outdoor tapestry that complements the architectural design.

This Mallorcan residence stands as a testament to the meticulous relationship between form, materials, and the distinctive typography of the landscape. It not only adheres to regulatory constraints but elevates them to an art form, creating a home that is a harmonious extension of Mallorca’s natural beauty.

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In honor of these prevailing themes, the Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers’ Association (ASCER), in collaboration with the Habitat Trends Observatory (OTH), present the four main trends in ceramic surfaces for 2024:

One with Nature

The desire to connect with nature by finding ways to seamlessly assimilate organic elements into built environments is stronger than ever. Spanish ceramic producers have adopted graphical resources with naturalistic aesthetics, using finishes that replicate raw materials – rough, coarse, raw, veined and even burned surfaces. Tile makers have also implemented scenic effects such as water, clouds or forests by leveraging blue and emerald tones, vibrant greens and shades of orange and terracotta.

An Era of Wellness

As health and wellness continues to be a lifestyle mainstay for many, Spanish manufacturers look for new ways to create ceramic tiles that exude feelings of calm and comfort. New ceramic collections integrate rounded shapes with pastel and neutral tones for a minimalistic aesthetic that spark inner zen.

Retro Resurgence

Drawing inspiration from the past helps infuse present ideas with a timeless elegance. This year, tile makers look to the prints and patterns of the 1950s and 70s for their latest collections, employing the bright shapes and dynamic colors these time periods are known for to infuse movement and rhythm into interior surfaces.

Shining Bright

While some Spanish artisans look to resurge the past, others are gazing into the future for the next cutting-edge trend. Metallic embellishments will have a significant impact on 2024 ceramic collections. Throughout the upcoming year, anticipate an influx of lavish marbled finishes and dark tones that are sure to radiate with opulence.

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